


Temptation

by Jade4813



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: AU, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2020-07-09 17:44:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19891807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jade4813/pseuds/Jade4813
Summary: Iris West is a famous supermodel who has been getting a string of death threats. Barry Allen is the bodyguard hired to protect her. A Westallen AU. Gift for andiem1223 on Twitter in appreciation of her grand prize-winning contribution to the 2019 Westallen Sock Drive!





	1. Chapter 1

Barry glanced at the clock as he followed the receptionist through the door. His first impression of the office was sleek lines and modern furniture, but small personal touches still made it seem warm and inviting. In silence, he assessed its occupant. She stood and scooted around the desk to offer him a hand, her eyes flicking towards the clock even as she greeted him. Then, after sparing few seconds on perfunctory small talk, she invited him to take a seat as she resumed her position behind her desk. When she folded her hands on its surface, she met his eyes and he had no doubt that he had her full attention.

Prior to the meeting, Barry had done his research on Linda Park. Fresh out of college, she’d become an unpaid intern at a talent management company, working with aspiring models and B-list actresses. From that inauspicious beginning, she had built something of an empire; the staff she employed at the agency that bore her name managed everyone from models to movie stars to even the occasional popular podcaster. In the meantime, she’d established a reputation for being something of a workaholic, with an almost superhuman ability to spot potential in unlikely places. She was also said to be smart, focused, tenacious, with a sense of humor that veered on the sardonic. More than one person described her as having a strategic mind that could put a general to shame.

In the first thirty seconds of meeting her, he had absolutely no doubt everything that was said about her was true. Which meant there was no way to beat around the bush. “So. How can I help you, Miss Park?”

She smiled in appreciation at his forthright question, but her face grew serious as she explained, “I have a client who’s in need of your services. I’d rather not divulge her identity until you’ve agreed to take her case,” she paused long enough for him to give a quick nod of understanding, then continued, “but I think she’s in danger. There have been…letters.”

“Threatening?”

She gave a firm nod. “And escalating.”

“Are the police involved?”

“They are, but in the meantime, I want my client to be safe.”

“Of course,” he acknowledged. “Well, I’d be happy to do an assessment. I have several people who are perfect for this kind of job –”

She shook her head, cutting him off. “Ah, no. That won’t work, I’m afraid. I specifically want you and only you.”

Barry lifted his eyebrows at her in mild surprise. “My staff are all well-qualified, I assure you.”

“Oh, I’m sure,” she agreed readily, with a quick wave of her hand. “But I’m afraid I’m quite insistent on this point. You were specifically recommended to me. I looked into you, and...well, to be frank, I trust you. Of course, I’m sure the rest of your staff are equally as discreet, but –” She broke off, and for the first time, he saw a flash of indecision on her face. Her mask of detached efficiency slipped, and he saw real fear in her eyes. “This person…my client…she’s not just a client. She’s a friend. And between you and me, I’m…well, I’m scared for her.”

He didn’t reply right away, taking a moment to consider her words. As it happened, he had just finished a job so he was available to take on a client, but he was always careful not to rush into a situation before knowing the lay of the land. “When you say you specifically want me and only me, I take it you expect this to be a one-person job.”

“That would be ideal,” she agreed. “We don’t want this to get out to the press, and the more people get involved, the more attention it will draw.”

“I understand. But I have a firm policy. I don’t agree to take on a client if I don’t think that I’m the best qualified to keep them safe. It isn’t fair to them. I will do everything within reason to respect your wishes. That said, if I review the situation and determine that additional protection is necessary, I will call in more members of my team.” When she hesitated, he parroted her words with a slight smile. “I’m afraid I’m quite insistent on that point.”

After another few seconds of thought, she gave a quick jerk of the head in assent. “So, do we have an agreement?”

It was his time to pause in thought. There were still so many questions about the nature of the threat, but Linda was playing things close to the vest. It was unlikely she’d give him more details until she had retained his services. “We do,” he finally agreed. Linda visibly relaxed, leaning back in her chair. “Well, I’ll need to see the letters, of course,” he began.

She was way ahead of him, reaching into her desk drawer to pull out a large manila envelope. At a glance, Barry could see it contained enough letters to cause concern. Though he was tempted to chastise Linda for waiting so long to bring in a professional, he bit back the words and focused on the problem at hand, continuing, “And I’ll need to meet with her, get some more information. Discuss current security arrangements…”

She grimaced, straightening. “Ah. Right. About that.” She threw him a sheepish smile. “That’s going to be a little…complicated.”

“Complicated?”

“The thing is, yours isn’t the first personal security firm I’ve retained for this matter. My client is – well, I suppose you could say she’s _reluctant_ to cooperate.”

He frowned. “By reluctant, you mean –”

“She’s fired the rest of them, actually. Well, I guess to be more accurate, I should say she fired the first four and, when I put my foot down and said I would be responsible for the hiring and firing from then on, made it hard enough for the others to do their jobs that they quit in frustration.”

Barry’s alarm grew. “You mean to tell me that she’s been receiving threats against her life and she’s not taking them seriously?”

He could see Linda’s concern as she shook her head. “No. Well, not entirely, I guess. She has been cooperating with the police. She also upgraded the security system at her house, and she’s been doing everything possible to mix up her routine a little more. Not taking the same routes to get around at the same times of day as usual; that sort of thing. But she doesn’t really want a bodyguard, you understand. She’s been really insistent on that point, actually. I normally try to respect my clients’ wishes whenever possible, you understand, but when you look at those letters…well, she may think her increased security is enough, but I’m not willing to take that chance.

“So if you’re still sure you’re willing to take this case, then your first job is going to be convincing her to cooperate.” As though afraid he would balk at this new challenge, she leaned forward and threw him a desperate look. “I hope this doesn’t change your mind about agreeing to help, Mr. Allen. I know she’s being stubborn, but she really does need your help. If you can’t get her to agree to accept your protection…” Her voice trailed off, as though the alternative was too terrible to contemplate.

“I was referred to you because I was told you’re very good with…difficult clients. She’s not difficult in the usual sense – she’s wonderful, really. I swear. But she can be stubborn, and she certainly is more than proving that now. I came to you, Mr. Allen, because I’m hoping you can get through to her. I’m hoping you can save her life.”

Barry looked down at the folder in his hands and pulled out some of the contents, wanting to get a sense of the seriousness of the threat. A series of photos lay at the top of the stack. They were of a woman, her face partly obscured by large sunglasses as she attended to some errands. There were six in total, but it wasn’t the number that caused him the most concern. In each of the photos, the woman was wearing the same clothes, so they were likely taken on the same day. But each were taken at close range – almost intimately close. While such photographs could easily be taken at a distance with a high-quality camera, Barry had been in the protection business long enough to know that someone with the level of obsession implied by the stack of documents in his hand had progressed beyond the stage of being willing to adore from afar. They’d have wanted to get close enough to touch. The photos were to make sure she knew that they had gotten that close without her even being aware of it – that they could get to her at any time they wanted. And there was nothing she could do about it.

The woman in the pictures was in very real, possibly very imminent, danger. Barry wasn’t sure he would be able to convince her to listen to him, but he had to try. Linda’s concerns weren’t exaggerated; her very life might depend on it.

“I’ll do what I can. You have my word. But I need to get started immediately. Where is she now?”

* * *

Barry walked through the front doors to the address Linda had given him. She had called ahead, so he was allowed through with little trouble. When he walked into the large photo studio, he saw it had been set as lavish living room. A woman was dressed in black lingerie and strappy high heels, a silk scarf draped between her fingers. He recognized her from the magazines and the threatening photos in the file. Supermodel Iris West. As Barry stepped closer to the photographer, she threw him an assessing look, her smile sultry.

“All right, you can take a break. I want to check a couple things,” the photographer called out, and Iris rose slowly to her feet.

To Barry’s surprise, she approached. “You’re an odd one, showing up in a suit. You must be new. Sent over by the agency?” she asked.

A little surprised Linda had told Iris he was coming, given what she’d said about her reluctance to work with a bodyguard, he nodded. “I am,” he answered, keeping his eyes locked on her face. He recognized her from her photos, of course, but she was even more beautiful in person. Dressed in nothing but lingerie, she was irresistible. Shoving his hands in the pockets of his suit jacket, he reminded himself to remain professional. “If you have a few moments, we should talk.”

“I have a better idea. Might as well cut to the chase.” She paused, flashing a smile. “At least you’re cute.”

“What do you –” he began, but before he could say anything else, she leapt into his arms. Acting on instinct, he wrapped his arms around her, bracing a palm against the small of her back as she wrapped her legs around his hips. Locking her ankles behind him, she grabbed his tie in her fist and pulled him in for a searing kiss.


	2. Chapter 2

Once his initial surprise faded, Barry figured Iris was trying to drive him off as Linda had warned she would. He told himself that, as ideas to scare him off went, kissing him wasn’t the most effective – as long as he could remember to remain professional and keep her at a distance.

Which probably meant he should pull away. Or at the very least break off the kiss. He definitely shouldn’t be swallowing a moan as he held her tight against him.

As he tried to remind himself of all the reasons he should stop the kiss, she scraped her teeth against his lower lip and smiled against his mouth. “Not bad,” she murmured.

“Huh?” he murmured, his mind strangely foggy following the kiss. A voice whispered that he should put her down and step back, but he felt himself lean in, instead. He was about to brush his lips against hers again when a voice broke in. “Um…Iris? I don’t mean to interrupt, but, um, they’re about ready to go. Do you want me to touch up your, uh, your lipstick?”

“Hmm?” the woman in his arms hummed in a distracted voice as she melted against him. Then, after a moment, she stiffened in his arms. “Wait, what? Oh…oh right.” As she pulled away, Barry came to his senses and blushed as he put her gently back on her feet. He couldn’t believe he’d lost control of himself like that. She’d initiated the kiss, of course, but it had been incredibly unprofessional for him to reciprocate.

Barry tried to catch a glimpse of Iris’s face, but she turned away quickly. Maybe it was all for the best; he was trying to think of the words to preserve a sense of professionalism between them, but the memory of her mouth against his made it difficult. He was so distracted by his thoughts that he almost didn’t catch what she was saying.

With a laugh, Iris told her companion, “I suspect the overachiever over here is going to need to get changed for the shoot, anyway.”

As they stepped away, the other woman shot him a confused look over her shoulder. “What do you mean? Stefan’s in wardrobe right now.”

At those words, Iris stopped in her tracks. “He – wait, so he’s not –” She spun on her heel and grabbed Barry by the arm, pulling him aside. “I thought you said you were sent by the agency. You’re not here for the shoot?”

Barry blinked at her in confusion, wondering if his mind was still foggy from their kiss. As he rang a hand across the back of his head, he stammered, “Wh-what? I mean, I was. I met with Linda a little bit ago, and –”

Her eyes widened. “ _Linda_? I thought you were from the modeling – hold on. You’re not…oh, god, she hired another one, didn’t she? I’ve talked to her about this!”

He threw her a lopsided smile. “She mentioned you’d try to drive me off. I wasn’t expecting the kiss, I admit, but I also think you should really rethink your deterrents, if that’s what you had in mind.”

“I – you –” she spluttered.

Before she could finish her thought, the photographer yelled her name. “Iris! You wanna get in position? We don’t have all day!” 

Iris glared up at him. “We’ll talk later,” she snapped before racing over to her makeup artist for a quick touch up before returning to the couch.

* * *

Iris tried to ignore the bodyguard Linda had apparently hired for her as she turned her attention back to work. However, she found her mind wandering as a tall, generically handsome man joined her at the couch. She was grateful her makeup artist, Kaylee, had mentioned his name was Stefan because she wouldn’t have caught it otherwise.

She was still distracted as she was directed into position, with Stefan kneeling on the couch beside her. The photographer started to snap pictures as he leaned over her, being careful not to block the shot as he lifted her towards him. She wrapped one arm around his neck and tried to relax against him, wanting to hide the initial awkwardness that inevitably came when two strangers had to feign desire. Although she was supposed to be looking at Stefan, she found her gaze wandering toward her mysterious bodyguard instead.

When the photographer barked her name in irritation, she tried to drag her attention back to the task at hand, but it wasn’t long before her mind wandered again. Her distraction was out of character for her; she was normally far too professional to let anything interfere with her work. However, after her third attempt to keep her mind on work failed, the photographer called a halt to the shoot as he shifted position. Finally, he barked at her bodyguard to stand a little to his left, before resuming the shoot.

This time, he directed Stefan to press a warm kiss against the side of her neck while she stared at Barry – and thus the camera – with haughty disdain. For his part, her new bodyguard looked unimpressed by her displeasure, staring at her with a slight smirk on his face. When she glowered at him, he lifted his eyebrows and grinned, his expression slightly challenging.

Linda was determined to get her a bodyguard. Iris was just as determined not to have one, and this stranger seemed to know it. So it would come down to a battle of wills between them – one she was determined not to lose.

* * *

When the shoot ended a little more than an hour later, Iris hopped off the couch and looked around for her hired shadow. When he was nowhere to be found, she breathed a sigh of relief. She doubted she was lucky enough that he was gone for good, but perhaps his contract had yet to be signed and he’d decided not to waste his time standing around until he was getting paid to do so. Putting him out of her mind, she raced to wardrobe, eager to wrap up and head home.

Iris was walking out to her car when she saw him, leaning against the fender with casual grace. His face was turned away from her as he talked to someone on the phone, and so she took the opportunity to let her gaze roam over his body, taking him in.

He didn’t fit the typical picture of a bodyguard – lanky and long-limbed as opposed to solid and stocky. But there was a subtle strength about him that was quietly reassuring. He was also far too good-looking for her peace of mind, though his physical attractiveness was less generically obvious then displayed by the men in her line of work. It had less to do with bone structure (though heaven knew he wasn’t entirely lacking in that department) then in the almost sweetness of his smile.

A smile he was directing her way, she realized as she approached. While she’d been wool-gathering, he’d turned her way and caught her silent appraisal. Recognizing her immediate urge to blush and look away, she forced herself to lift her chin in challenge as she obviously – almost offensively – swept her gaze over him again.

He didn’t seem offended by her action, asking mildly as she approached, “Like what you see?”

“Not particularly,” she lied. “I don’t know what Linda told you, but I don’t need a babysitter. What are you doing out here, anyway?”

He straightened. “Well, I got the strangest feeling that you might try to ditch me if you could, since Linda mentioned you have a habit of trying to drive off every bodyguard she’s hired. I figured I’d wait out here and catch you on your way out and save you the trouble. Before you have time to come up with too many inventive ways to drive me off, I was hoping we could talk.”

She snorted. She would have ditched him if she’d realized he was still waiting around, so his decision showed an intelligence she hadn’t necessarily expected. “You say that like I have a choice in the matter.”

He shrugged, moving around the side of the car to stand near her. “You always have a choice, Miss West. More than you probably think. I can try to keep you safe, but I can’t do that without your help.”

“And if I say no?”

He grinned, and her heart skipped a beat. She scowled and sent a silent scold toward her heart, her eyes, her hands, and any other part of her that was tempted to get carried away at the sight of the man in front of her that they were to behave themselves. “I’ll try to convince you to change your mind.”

Hoping she’d sufficiently hidden her body’s response to him, she turned to open her door, tossing her bag inside. “How?” she scoffed. “You planning to tell me all the gory stories of what could happen to me if I don’t listen to you? Trying to scare me into cooperating? Into taking this seriously? It hasn’t worked before. It won’t work now.”

She stilled at the soft touch of his hand against her wrist and looked up at him, shocked by his sudden closeness. “I would never do that,” he promised her in a voice that was surprisingly firm for all its gentleness. “I don’t think you need me to scare you even more to convince you to take this seriously. That isn’t your problem, and if your previous bodyguards thought it was, I can see why you didn’t want to waste your time with them.”

Though part of her knew she should pull away and put some distance between them, she found herself unable to move as she breathed, “No? So what’s my problem?”

His gaze was steady on hers. “You’re scared, and you resent the fact that someone has put you in that position. That’s certainly understandable, but you don’t have to deal with this alone. I can help you. If you let me.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, she replied in a measured voice, “You seem to think you know a lot about me after just a few minutes. I don’t even know your name.”

“Don’t forget the kiss,” he teased. “And it’s Barry. Barry Allen.”

Her smile was brittle, but her gaze was thoughtful as she lied, “I’d say it was nice to meet you, but that would be a lie. Anyway, maybe I’d remember the kiss if it was memorable.”

He grinned again, causing her traitorous heart to skip another beat. “I don’t know. It seemed pretty memorable to me. Not that it can happen again, of course. But it’s not every day you get kissed by a beautiful stranger.”

“It was a misunderstanding,” she huffed irritably, nodding towards her car. “But you might as well get in. We can talk, and you can tell me more about myself. Who knows what I’ll learn?”

For a brief moment, as he walked around the car, she considered slamming on the gas and leaving him in the dust. In the end, she didn’t bother, assuming she’d only be delaying the inevitable. Instead, she waited for him to get in the car before pulling away.

They rode in silence for several minutes as Iris navigated traffic. Once she pulled onto the highway, however, she spoke. “So, you came to some pretty interesting conclusions about me. After only a few minutes, no less.” Seeing the quick flash of his smile out of the corner of her eye, she added, “And a kiss. Want to tell me how you did it?”

He kept his eyes on the road, and she smiled when she saw him tense up as she weaved in and out of traffic. “Ah…well, Linda doesn’t think you take the threat seriously, but I think she’s wrong. You took it seriously enough to increase security at your house, according to her. And maybe that’s just prudent forethought, but she also said you switched up your routine. That’s not an easy thing to do. It’s inconvenient. So if you’re taking the trouble, then that suggests you are taking this threat seriously. And that means fear isn’t your problem.” She shifted her grip on the steering wheel as she considered his words, her thoughts interrupted when he cleared his throat. “At least when it comes to your stalker. When it comes to your driving…you do know speed limits exist, right? This isn’t a racetrack. I don’t suppose you’d slow down a little?”

She laughed, pressing a little harder on the gas. It was a petty act of revenge for him bringing up the kiss. “Where’s the fun in that?”

His voice was dry. “I don’t know. Living to the ripe old age of forty?”

Letting off the gas a little, she relaxed back against her seat. “I like speed. What can I say? Anyway, I’m fascinated. What else can you tell me about myself?”

“I’m sorry if I said anything that upset you. I know it may seem intrusive, but it’s my job to observe and make judgments about people based upon their behavior. It’s the only way to know if someone in the crowd is harmless or a threat.”

“I’m not upset. And I never said your assessment was correct.”

He sighed. “You like to be in control.”

“Lots of people like to be in control. You won’t impress me with random guesses.”

“Not everyone kisses a stranger to break the ice so they can act more naturally together for the camera.”

Iris paused, then threw him a quick look. “All right You have me there.” She lapsed into silence as she considered her situation and his offer to help. She hated the intrusion into her private life. She hated feeling like her life wasn’t her own. But the letters did scare her, more than she wanted to admit. Maybe it was worth getting a little help if it put an end to the threat.

“So. If I agree to work with you, what’s the plan? You bring a bunch of people into my home to follow me around everywhere I go? Invading every bit of privacy I have left?”

“Not exactly. My team may work remotely, analyzing the letters to see if they can learn anything about the sender, but you’ll just be working with me. As long as possible, at least. And I’ll try to do everything I can to respect your privacy, but I will need to stay with you at your home. And I will need to accompany you everywhere you go. Just until whoever is sending you those threatening letters is caught. So what do you say? Can we work together on this?”

She sighed. “With an offer like that, how can I refuse?”


	3. Chapter 3

Barry prided himself on always being professional. He had worked as security service for everyone from movie stars to diplomats. He’d once even provided backup security for a visiting duke and duchess who were in line for the throne of a foreign country. At each of his jobs, there had never been a question of whether he would maintain professional detachment. He often got along with his clients. At times, he even genuinely liked them. But he’d never forgotten that they were clients, and he was on a job.

Until now.

He found himself unable to concentrate as Iris escorted him into her house, showing him where he would be staying for as long as they worked together. When she went over her upcoming schedule, he found he was only half-listening, his gaze wandering to focus instead on the curve of her cheek, the gentle swoop of her lips. She was breathtaking.

But he couldn’t afford to give in to the distraction. He was here to do a job. That was it.

“So where do we start?” Iris asked, dragging his attention back to the present. Chastising himself silently, he forced himself to focus.

“I know you probably won’t like this, but there’s a chance the person we’re looking for is someone close to you. Someone who’s had access to you, to your life. Someone you trust. I’m going to need a list of names so I can look into them and rule them out.”

He watched her shoulders lift and fall with the force of her sigh. “All right,” she agreed, changing direction to head to her den. She crossed to a laptop sitting on a desk and opened one of the desk drawers. Pulling out a yellow legal pad, she handed it over.

“What is this?” he asked, surprised that she capitulated so easily. He flipped through the top few sheets to find name after name listed. Some were crossed off, but others had notes jotted to the side.

“That’s everyone who has worked for me, for Linda…everyone who’s worked at one of my shoots. Everyone Linda and I could identify who could have gotten the access to me that this would require.” At his visible surprise, she laughed lightly. “I may not have ever done this before, but it had occurred to me that this person might be someone I’ve met before.”

“Oh. Okay. Um…what about…boyfriends? Is there anyone you’ve dated who might be -”

“It’s not someone I dated,” she said firmly, her face flat and devoid of expression.

He considered pressing the point, but their working relationship was still fragile. He didn’t want to push her too fast. Besides, it would take some time to work through the list of names she’d just provided. So instead, he just offered her a slight smile. “All right.”

He saw her visibly relax and he shot a glance at his watch. “I’ll need to call my team with an update, ask them to bring by some of my things.” He was used to traveling from one job to another, so he always had a duffel bag filled with necessities ready to go. A member of his team could drop by his office to retrieve it and bring it by with his car. “Once I have my computer, I’ll be able to get started. You said you had an event tonight? What time was that again?”

She nodded. “Eight o’clock sharp. But I’m sure there will be plenty of security there, if you wanted to get settled in instead.”

“Trying to get rid of me already?” he asked, his voice slightly teasing.

Iris’s grin was unrepentant. “Can’t blame a gal for trying!”

* * *

She could feel his eyes on her as she stepped forward, smiling for the cameras that flashed as she passed by. Knowing he was watching her every move, she swept the slit in her skirt aside, letting the cameras pick up on the long line of her leg beneath the fabric. The slit went nearly up to her hip, and she threw the cameras a flirtatious smile. Though she pretended her actions were for the delight of the watching paparazzi, she knew she was showing off for only one man. Barry.

He was attracted to her. She could see it in his eyes when he looked at her. And when she’d come down her stairs earlier that evening, dressed in the provocative gold dress on loan for the evening, she’d seen his desire. She’d watched his Adam’s apple bob up and down as his gaze swept her body, though his voice was even – bordering on disinterested – when he finally spoke.

She recognized his attraction. His desire. That was nothing new. She often saw it in the faces of the people she met. She made her living off recognizing it. Even cultivating it. What was unusual was the desire she felt in return.

She was attracted to Barry. She had been from the first time she saw him. It was true she’d kissed him to break the ice. Thinking he was her modeling partner, she had wanted to get over the initial awkwardness of feigning intimacy with a stranger. But the truth was, she’d wanted to kiss him, as well.

Standing there in his suit, there had been something about him that was so different from the men she worked with every day. The men she worked with were all attractive, of course. But there was a preoccupation to their good looks – a constant awareness that their appearance had to be perfect, that they had to be ready to show their best angles to the cameras at any given time.

Iris had noticed Barry in part because he seemed to lack that awareness. His suit jacket was slightly rumpled – unfashionably so. His hair was just a touch longer than current fashion dictated. It was a little windswept; not mercilessly held into place through copious amounts of product. She’d been tempted to run her hands through it, to see if it was as soft to the touch as it looked, and had been gratified to find that it was.

It was inconvenient, being attracted to her new bodyguard. At the very least, it was a complication she didn’t need at the moment. But every time she caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye, she felt the same temptation to run her fingers through his hair. Knowing his eyes remained locked on her as she walked the red carpet, Iris ran her tongue along her lower lip, remembering the taste of his kiss.

It was inconvenient, that was true. But there was no point pretending she wasn’t attracted to him. And she had no doubt he was attracted to her. The question was, what were they going to do about it?

* * *

Countless times over the course of the evening, Barry had scanned the crowd, watching for Iris’s stalker. For anyone who stared at her a little too intently, anyone who seemed a little too interested in her every move. Anyone who couldn’t seem to look away from her. Anyone other than him, of course; try as he might to keep his attention on the crowd, his eyes kept traveling back to her. The event was attended by models and movie stars, a veritable Who’s Who of A- and B-list celebrities. But Iris outshone them all.

He was attracted to her, and he knew he couldn’t be. He couldn’t afford to desire her when he was supposed to be protecting her. He definitely couldn’t afford to be watching her when he should be watching everyone else. Maybe he should pass on the job – or at least pass it off to a member of his staff. He knew Linda insisted that he work on the case, but surely he could come up with some sort of story that would make her understand. Or at least one she would buy.

There was no way he could tell her the truth. He couldn’t tell her that he’d almost tripped over his own feet earlier that evening at the sound of her laughter, his heart racing in his chest as he glanced around to see what had made her smile. He couldn’t tell her that the sound of his name on her lips swept across his skin like velvet. That when she smiled at him, she drew him to her like a moth to a flame. That every time he closed his eyes, he could remember the taste of her kiss.

He couldn’t tell Linda the truth, and he didn’t dare tell Iris. So, as they left the event that evening, Barry drove her back to her home in uncharacteristic silence as she gazed out the window, lost in her own thoughts. Finally, as she let them into the house, she asked, “You heading to bed?”

“Not unless you are,” he replied, striving to match the lightness in her tone.

Iris rolled her eyes and shook her head. “You really do take this whole bodyguard thing seriously, don’t you?” But she didn’t seem to expect an answer as she kicked out of her shoes and tossed her bag on the table. “I’m too wired to go to sleep just yet, so I was going to work out. Join me?”

“Now?” he asked in surprise. It was almost two in the morning.

Iris just shrugged and walked towards the back of the house. He followed, surprised when she didn’t turn down the hallway that he knew led to her indoor gym. Instead, she opened the door leading to her back patio and stepped outside.

Barry watched as Iris walked to the edge of the pool and leaned against the doorframe. From force of habit, he scanned the yard, looking for threats, but they were alone. He expected Iris to head to the small pool house, where he imagined she kept her swimsuits and towels. Instead, she reached behind her, unzipping her gown to let it fall at her feet. He gulped when he saw that she wore nothing underneath.

Iris dipped a toe in water, sending ripples across its smooth surface. Lit from below, by the bright blue pool lights, her skin seemed to glow. Like Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, come down to Earth to tempt mere mortals. Or a Siren, leading him to his doom. Wherever she led, he already suspected he had no choice but to follow.

There was laughter in her voice when she threw a mischievous smile at him over her shoulder. “Well?” she asked. “How about it? You want to join me for a swim?”


	4. Chapter 4

Barry felt all the air leave his body in a whoosh as he watched her. Her smile grew taunting as she crouched next to the water, swiping her hand across its surface to send droplets of water his way. He straightened, shoving his hands in his pant pockets in a futile attempt to hide his body’s reaction to her. “Iris, I -” he somehow managed, but his voice trailed off when he realized he didn’t have the first idea what he’d been about to say.

“Yes?” she asked, feigning innocence as she stood and turned toward him. “Are you saying you don’t want to go swimming with me, Barry Allen?” she teased.

“It isn’t…I’m not…I-I can’t,” he finally managed, the strain evident in his voice. “It wouldn’t be…with my job…”

She sighed, and he couldn’t help but watch the way her muscles stretched under her skin as she moved. “That’s a shame.” Stepping over the dress that lay discarded in a pool of fabric on the ground, she walked towards the doorway, forcing him to step out of her way.

“You’re not going swimming?” he asked, more from a contrary desire to stop her from leaving than out of genuine curiosity. 

Iris shook her head. “That wasn’t the workout I had in mind. Night, Barry.”

Calling himself seven different kinds of fool, Barry watched as she disappeared into the house. Then, blowing out a sharp breath, he walked forward, not even pausing to take off his shoes before stepping over the edge and falling into the pool. As the cold water swept over his head, he already knew it wouldn’t be enough to calm his racing blood. No doubt it would be some time before he would be able to get the image of her naked body out of his mind. Not to mention his dreams.

* * *

The next morning, Barry arose early. He’d been unable to sleep much the night before, unable to stop thinking about Iris. He tried everything he could to keep his mind on the job. He was being paid to protect her, nothing else. At the very least, it was unprofessional of him to imagine running his tongue over her body, checking to see if the rest of her tasted as good as her kiss. But try as he might, as he stretched out in bed, he couldn’t keep from imagining if she slept in anything more than she apparently swam in.

Rubbing a hand across his tired eyes as he stepped out of the shower attached to the guest room, Barry grabbed his phone and hit the button to call his team. He had to find a way to get Iris out of her mind. He couldn’t afford to be distracted by her. And if he was to remain sharp, he couldn’t afford many more sleepless nights spent thinking about her.

“Hey, boss,” the warm greeting pulled him out of his thoughts. “You’re up early.”

He tried to keep the frustration out of his voice as he replied, “It’s that kind of job.”

“Yeah, I’ve been doing some digging since your call yesterday. Looks like she’s a pro at driving off security staff. She giving you a run for your money already?”

He sighed. “It isn’t like that, Sara. She just doesn’t like having her privacy invaded. And I can’t say I blame her.”

“No, but it is part of the job, and we wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t necessary.”

“That doesn’t mean our clients have to like it.”

“I guess,” she replied, her tone clearly indicating she didn’t buy it for a minute. Sara was very good at her job, but she wasn’t known for her patience with other points of view. Her stubbornness had gotten on the wrong side of more than one client over the years, but her quick thinking and physical prowess made her the best person to have watching your back in a fight. She might have angered several clients, but none had ever been injured or killed on her watch. At the end of the day, that was what mattered to him. “Are you sure you don’t want me to step in on this one? I’m sure I could handle one runaway model.”

For a moment, he was tempted. He couldn’t get Iris out of his mind, and he knew that wasn’t the best thing for the job. But he knew Iris wasn’t thrilled about having a new security detail at all. Her cooperation seemed tenuous at best, and if Sara came in to relieve him, he suspected Iris would balk.

Of course, part of him knew he simply didn’t want to be away from her, and he was trying to rationalize an excuse to stay. 

“I’ve got it. For now. Did you make any headway on the list I sent over last night?”

She sighed. “We’ve been working our way through them, but we haven’t come across any likely suspects. What about boyfriends? You didn’t flag any names on the list.”

He grimaced. They usually started with lovers – or ex-lovers – for a reason. “I’m still working on it. I assume you’ve been doing some digging online?”

“Of course. We’ll keep at it and let you know if we find anything.”

It had been too much to hope the case would be wrapped up that easily, but that didn’t stop him from being a little disappointed it wasn’t. “Thanks. I’ll check in later.”

Glancing at the clock as he ended the call, he noticed it was almost seven. Time to start the day. After throwing on some clothes, he headed out of his room, intending to track down some breakfast. He smelled coffee and heard someone moving around the kitchen, and his traitorous heart leapt at the realization that Iris was up already. Was it wrong of him to hope she’d had as much difficulty sleeping as he’d had?

He was so focused on thoughts of the woman he was about to see that it took a fraction of a second longer than it should for him to register the sound of someone moving around inside Iris’s bedroom as he passed by. Pausing just a moment to confirm that he heard two distinct sounds of people moving inside the house, he crept toward her bedroom door and opened it silently, hoping his suspicions were correct and it wasn’t Iris he was about to surprise. Just because she’d stood before him in the nude last night didn’t mean she’d welcome him imposing upon her today.

But he needn’t have worried. As he shoved the door open, he saw a man standing next to the bed, his back to the door. The stranger was naked but for a pair of boxers, and Barry saw red. Without even stopping to consider the best course of action, he charged forward. The man let out a squawk of surprise as Barry tackled him from behind, driving him to the ground. Before the intruder could react, Barry twisted his arm behind his back, putting him in a joint lock as he drove his knee into the man’s back. “Don’t move!” he barked. Then he yelled, “Iris! Call the police!”

“Wha – who the hell are you?” the man demanded, his voice slightly muffled as his cheek pressed into the carpet. This close to the man, he noticed that the stranger’s hair was slightly damp, as if he’d just stepped out of the shower, and he wondered at the stalker’s nerve. How had Iris not heard the sound of a shower running? Then again, perhaps she did while she was in the kitchen and she assumed it was him.

“Barry, no! Wait! This isn’t what you think!” Iris yelled as she raced into the room. “I let him in!”

“What?” Barry asked, shooting a glance up at her. That was when he noticed that her hair was also damp from the shower, falling in a riot of curls that framed her face. Had they showered together? At the thought, he unconsciously tightened the joint lock a fraction until his captive let out a yelp.

“Barry, this is Eddie. I-I invited him over. He isn’t the guy you’re looking for. Let him go.” Her voice was soft but firm.

“I – You invited him in? When? It isn’t even seven in the morning!”

“I – um – I invited him over last night. After you went to bed.”

That meant he’d come over some time after two in the morning. Unable to bear thinking about the implications of that, he tried to focus on his responsibilities, instead. “And you didn’t think to tell me?” he asked in mild indignation, trying not to notice how adorable she looked when she was blushing.

In response, Iris raised her chin and glared at him. “I wasn’t entirely sure it was any of your business.”

“Not any of my business? Iris, do I really need to tell you why this is exactly the kind of thing I should know about?”

“Can you guys talk about this later? After you let me up?” the man – Eddie, apparently – grumbled from the ground. 

Hesitating only a second, Barry begrudgingly stood, releasing his hold. Then, turning his attention back to Iris, he resolved to ignore Eddie entirely. “So is he your boyfriend?” he asked, somewhat more harshly than he’d intended.

She crossed her arms over her chest and threw him a defiant look. “Are you asking because it’s your job? Or because you’re jealous?”

Barry tried to hide his automatic reaction, gritting his teeth to bite back the words asking her if her boyfriend knew about what had happened – or almost happened – the night before. “I’m asking because it’s my job. I asked you yesterday if you had any boyfriends we should be looking into. I’d say he applies.” He gestured vaguely in Eddie’s direction.

“He’s standing right here, you know,” Eddie interjected, sounding somewhat offended to be so ignored. “And Iris isn’t – ”

“Don’t, Eddie. This doesn’t really concern you,” Iris interrupted him.

“It kind of concerns me,” he grumbled. “I was the one on the ground a second ago.”

“Eddie –” she growled. Then she paused and sighed, throwing him a rueful look. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I should have told Barry you were coming over. I should have realized what he’d think when he caught you here. But, Barry, really, you have to believe me. Eddie isn’t the guy you’re looking for. He’s completely harmless!”

“Hey! I am not!” Eddie blurted indignantly. As Iris and Barry both looked at him in surprise, he explained sheepishly, “I mean, I’d never hurt Iris, of course. Or anyone. But you don’t have to make it sound like I couldn’t hurt someone if I wanted to. I have some skills! I studied martial arts for three days when I was prepping to audition for Never Surrender!” 

Catching the expression on Iris’s face, he grimaced. “You know what? You guys clearly have some things to talk about. I – I should go. I’ll – I’ll just go get dressed. Thanks for letting me stay last night. If you ever change your mind about my offer, give me a call.”

Barry wondered if Eddie knew how close he came to eating more carpet when he leaned down to press a kiss against Iris’s cheek. But he didn’t take his eyes from Iris as Eddie grabbed his clothes from a chair and slunk off into the hall, looking for a private place to get dressed.

When they were alone, Barry sighed. “Iris, I don’t mean to invade your privacy. But you know as well as I do that your stalker could be someone close to you. If Eddie is your…if he’s someone close to you, I need to check him out.”

“Eddie isn’t the stalker. You have to trust me on this. You can check him out if you want to, but you’re wasting your time. Eddie and I aren’t – we aren’t together anymore. We used to be. A long time ago. But now…it’s complicated. We let the papers believe we’re together sometimes, because it’s good for business. But we’re just friends. He may be many things, but an obsessed stalker isn’t one of them.”

Though he knew he shouldn’t care what Iris and Eddie were to each other, he felt the muscles in his shoulders relax at her words. Cursing himself silently, he hoped she couldn’t read his feelings on his face as he nodded. “Maybe not. But I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t make sure.”

“So that’s really all it is? Just a job?” At his confused look, she lifted her shoulders in a slight shrug. Her expression sheepish, she admitted, “I guess I had hoped you were maybe a _little_ jealous. That isn’t why I invited Eddie over. He called me when he was leaving a party nearby, and he’d had too much to drink so…it doesn’t matter. But I…well, I thought I made it pretty clear to you last night that I’m – that I’m attracted to you. When you turned me down, I wondered if…well, I had hoped the attraction wasn’t entirely one-sided.”

He knew the smart thing to do would be to let her believe he wasn’t interested. It would be easier for him if he let her walk away. But having her so close, he didn’t have the strength to do it. He’d turned her down the night before, and she’d haunted his fantasies ever since. He didn’t know how long he would be able to convince himself that keeping her at a distance was the right thing to do, but he knew he couldn’t let her think he simply didn’t care. 

“Damn it, Iris,” he growled, framing her face in his hands. “Of course I’m jealous.” He shouldn’t be jealous of Eddie. He didn’t have the right to be. But he was.

Then, before he could talk himself out of it, he pulled her hard against him and captured her mouth in a kiss.  



	5. Chapter 5

Sinking. Iris was sinking.

She heard a soft moan as she leaned into him, his tongue sweeping across her full lower lip, and she honestly didn’t know if the sound had come from his throat or her own. She lifted her hands to his neck, cupping him gently as she shifted position, drawing him down to her.

Iris had exchanged so many kisses in her life, some more memorable than others. She remembered the day her little brother was born, and she pressed a shy and awkward kiss to the top of his head, his skin feeling wrinkly and new, impossibly soft beneath her lips. She remembered the night she kissed her mother goodbye moments before she slipped away, her body ravaged by the illness that had taken her from the daughter that still needed her.

Her first “real” kiss had been in sixth grade, with a boy in her class that she’d had a crush on until that moment. She had been pretty and popular, and so everyone had assumed that she’d had many boyfriends, exchanged many kisses in secret. She wasn’t the type to either confirm or deny – then or now – and so nobody knew that the traits that made her so desired – so envied – intimidated many and kept her at an arm’s distance from those around her. After he stole her first kiss, Colin admitted that the act had been a dare. To kiss the most popular girl in school, one that his friends had bragged that they had kissed before. Iris hadn’t told him that his friends were liars, but she’d used the skills her father taught her to teach him a lesson about consent that he wouldn’t soon forget.

Her last kiss had been with Eddie, the night before as he tried to convince her to give their sham relationship another shot. It hadn’t been a kiss of passion or desire, but of friendship and understanding. She and Eddie might not love each other, but they did understand each other. Their kisses, usually exchanged for the benefit of the camera, lacked the spark of passion, but they were familiar and comforting. Like the kisses she exchanged with countless fellow models on countless photoshoots, Eddie’s kisses would never break her heart. Somewhere between Colin and Eddie had been one man who had, the only man she’d ever loved. The only man who had shattered her when he’d walked away.

With a gasp, Iris pulled back, breaking off the kiss as she tried to push the memory of her lost love away. Why should he come to mind now? Barry posed no threat to her heart. She told herself that the passion between them now would fizzle and die. She didn’t expect Barry to stick around forever. She didn’t even want him to. In the end, she’d be content with friendship. So why did their kisses seem like they could be so much more?

A tiny frown flickered across his face as he lifted one hand to brush the back of his fingertips across her cheek. “Iris? Is everything okay?”

She nodded, longing to close the distance between them and renew their embrace, even as part of her screamed to push him away. “Yes, of course,” she murmured. “It’s just…when we kiss, it feels like…”

When her voice trailed off, he threw her an uncertain smile. “Like what?” he asked gently.

Like she’d spent her whole life waiting to kiss him.

Before she could find an easy lie, Eddie stuck his head around the corner. “Hey, sorry to interrupt, but I thought Iris should know her phone keeps going off. Looks like Linda’s trying to get a hold of you.”

Though she felt like she was saved by the bell, she forced a grimace and feigned reluctance as she backed away. “I should take this. I’d hate for Linda to worry…”

“Yeah, no problem,” he agreed, dropping his hands to his sides. But she could fell his eyes on her as she turned and all but fled from the room. A part of her wanted to stay, and that scared her more than she wanted to admit.

* * *

Iris spent the rest of the day trying to find perfectly valid reasons to avoid Barry. For his part, he focused on reviewing the security system she had in place, looking for dead zones and blind spots. She tried to convince herself that it was sheer coincidence that he occupied himself with activities that would keep him out of her way. Then she remembered how quickly he’d assessed her upon their first meeting, and she knew he probably caught on to more than she’d like.

The sun was low in the sky when she ran out of busy work to keep her out of his way and leaned back in her chair with a sigh. She couldn’t avoid him forever, but she wasn’t sure what to say to him. She’d come on strong, so it would take some doing to explain why being in his arms earlier that day, she’d suddenly felt afraid that he posed a much greater threat to her heart than she’d first believed. She was no longer certain they could have a no-strings attached fling she’d proposed the night before and wondered if, with Barry, she was playing a game with higher stakes than she was willing to pay.

Iris tossed aside the book she’d been pretending to read for the past hour and rose to her feet. The house had long been quiet, but she had still been painfully aware of Barry’s every move over the past few hours. She didn’t even hesitate as she headed outside, towards the pool.

The concrete was cool against her bare feet as she stepped outside, slowly approaching the lounge where Barry was relaxing. Her footsteps were all but completely silent as she crept towards the pool. Still, she wasn’t surprised when he turned to watch her approach. Knowing where she was at all times was basically his job, though she suspected there was more to it than that.

His gaze was shuttered and he didn’t speak as he watched her approach. His eyes were locked on hers as he picked up his drink and took a long sip, lifting his eyebrows at her over the lip of the glass. She wanted to tell him she was sorry, but if he asked her the reason for her apology, she wasn’t sure what she’d say.

She stifled a sigh as her gaze swept along his body. His long legs, which were surprisingly graceful for a man of his height. A white t-shirt stretched across his torso, and she longed the stroke the hard muscles she knew lay underneath. She knew personally how strong his arms were, where they were crossed over his chest. And the small smile that lurked at the side of his mouth – that mouth she wanted to kiss – well…that was the most lethal of all.

As she watched, the corner of that mouth gave in to the smile that lurked beneath, quirking slightly upward as his head shifted to the side. She met his questioning gaze with her own, though she didn’t have any answers for him. What did she want? She didn’t know.

No. That wasn’t entirely true. She might not be sure what she wanted tomorrow, but she was completely certain of what she wanted tonight. Tonight, she wanted him.

Did she dare give in to her desire? She ran her fingers along the bottom hem of her shirt as she considered what she should do next. Maybe she was giving Barry – and herself – too little credit. They were both adults. Surely they could give in to a night of pleasure without mistaking it for something more. One night with him didn’t have to bring with it a promise of a future. It could just be one night.

Latching on to the idea, ignoring the fact it sounded a little too close to self-justification, even to her, she pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it to the ground. In one smooth gesture, her bra followed. She watched Barry stiffen slightly, but he didn’t move. He just continued to watch her with those eyes that saw too much, letting her set the pace for what was to come.

Pushing aside her fear, Iris let herself revel in the moment. Cocking her head to the side, she fingered the button of her blue jeans. He watched her every move like a hawk watching its prey. Slowly, teasingly, she unbuttoned the snap and pushed her blue jeans down her thighs.

As the coarse fabric pooled on the ground around her, Iris sent up a silent prayer that her feet wouldn’t get tangled in her jeans and she’d manage to step out of them without tripping and killing herself. When she saw the corners of his mouth twitch, she knew he’d read her mind, but she managed to step out of her jeans without making a total fool of herself.

To get him back for his amusement at her expense, Iris hooked her thumbs under the line of her panties, drawing them down her legs with torturous slowness. When she saw a muscle in Barry’s jaw clench and unclench repeatedly and heard his breathing grow shallow, she grinned at her victory. She suspected an entire brass band could pass by and he’d be none the wiser, his attention focused so completely upon her.

Iris didn’t suffer from false modesty. She knew she was beautiful; it was in the job description. She knew what it felt like to be desired; she knew how to manipulate that desire to suit her ends. But the way Barry was looking at her made her heart pound, making her feel off-balance in a way she hadn’t felt in years. If ever.

Pushing that thought aside, she strode toward him, her smile coy as she straddled him in his chair. When he opened his mouth to speak, she pressed a finger against his lips, giving her head a small shake. They could talk tomorrow, if necessary. She didn’t want to spoil this moment between them with words.

If he was bemused by her silent directive, he hid it well as Iris grabbed the bottom of his shirt and yanked it over his head, impatience removing the grace from her movements. Iris let out a sigh of pleasure as she ran her hands down his chest, tracing the curve of muscles that had only been hinted at under his clothes at their first meeting. Barry leaned forward to kiss her, but she tilted back, out of his reach. She was calling the shots here, and she needed to remember that this was about physical pleasure. Not romance. His kisses were intoxicating, making that easy to forget.

Though she could read the disappointment in his eyes, he didn’t protest as he leaned back in his chair, letting her decide what would happen next. Iris threw him an approving smile as she reached for the button of his pants, rewarding his patience by stroking him through the fabric before reaching her hand inside.

Barry groaned as she wrapped her hand around him, running her fingers along his shaft in firm, steady strokes. His moan deepened when, frustrated by the awkward angle caused by his waistband, she unclasped his jeans and pulled him out.

He lifted his hands, causing her to freeze and throw him a warning look, but he met her eyes unflinchingly, his palms out to her in a placating gesture. Moving slowly, as though concerned he would scare her off otherwise, Barry shifted his hands to her hips, helping brace her as she lifted herself onto him.

His hands caressed the her waist, sliding along her thighs and slipping between their bodies. When she moved on top of him, his fingers slipped inside her, making her gasp when he stroked her clit. Iris gasped, grabbing his wrist in a silent plea for him to stop, afraid she was on the verge of losing her control over him. Her control over herself.

His laughter was strained when he chuckled, his hand stilling until she released him. Then he brought his hand to his mouth, his smile wicked as he flicked his tongue against his fingers, tasting her against his skin. Grabbing his wrist, Iris pinned it next to his head as she rolled her hips against him, making him gasp. With her other hand, she dug her fingers into his shoulders, arching her back as she rode him. He continued to steady her with his free hand, and she leaned in towards him.

Barry owed his head and ran his tongue along the curve of her breast, sucking her nipple into his mouth and teasing it with his teeth. Now it was Iris’s turn to moan, and she didn’t protest when he moved his hand from her thigh to the small of her back, steadying her as he worshipped her with his mouth. His tongue was hot against her skin, but his following breath caused her to shiver.

Iris had planned to tease him a little longer, but she wasn’t sure how much longer she could maintain control. Her breath hissed between her teeth when she released his wrist and braced both hands on his shoulders, steadying herself as she increased her rhythm against him. Her moans matched his own when she felt him shudder against her, his hand sliding inside her as he helped bring her to climax. His name was a breath on her lips as she came, trembling against him, but the sound was swallowed by his kiss. Though when she finally caught her breath, wrapped up in his arms on the poolside lounge, her weight braced against his chest, she didn’t know whether he had initiated the kiss, or whether she had herself.

She tried not to think about what that uncertainty might mean.


End file.
